Spoke-tightener



PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

G. F. LINDSAY & W. P. GUNN.

SPOKE TIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

al 4 i Inventors G90) g 6 Z/ncl say PG vnv-c Witnesses WQ/W I By UNITEDSTATES Patented February 9, i904.

PATENT ()EEICE.

GEORGE F. LINDSAY AND VILLIAM P. GUNN, OF SHERMAN, TEXAS.

SPOKE-TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 751,662, datedFebruary 9, 1904.

' Application filed July 30, 1903. Serial No. 167,649. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE F. LINDSAY and WILLIAM PARKS GUNN, citizensof the United States, residing at Sherman, in the county of Grayson andState of Texas, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements inSpoke-Tighteners; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the inventiornsuch as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in spoke-tighteners.

The object of the invention is to provide a spoke-tightener which may bequickly and easily applied to the spokes of a wheel to tighten the same,the application of which will also lengthen the spoke and tighten thefelly against the tire.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will besimple in construction and can be cheaply manufactured and sold andwhich is well adapted to the purpose for which it is designechmeansbeing provided for retaining the tightener in place.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of awheel felly and spoke, showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2is a view looking at the end of a spoke, showing the tightening devicein place. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one-half of thetightener. Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view throughthe same. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the manner of applying asection of the tightening device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a portion of thefelly, 2 the tire, and 3 one of the spokes of a wheel.

5 denotes the tightening device, comprising two sections or halves, eachconsisting of a semicircular disk or plate 6, in the straight edge ofwhich is formed a concentric semicircular opening 7 Partiallysurrounding the edge of this opening is an upwardly-projecting segmentalflange 8, the upper edge of which is curved or rounded, as shown at 9.The inner face of the flange 8 1s vertical and is provided with a seriesof barbs 10, while the outer face of the same is inclined and tapersupwardly toward the upper edge of the flange, thus making the flangewedge shape. This outer face is provided with a series ofhorizontally-disposed grooves or creases 12. On the outer edge of theplate or disk 6 are formed upwardly-projecting prongs or teeth 13.

In practice when a spoke becomes loose one of the tightener-sections isapplied upon each side of the same, as shown in Fig. 5, by firstinclining the tightener-section at an angle to bring the upper end ofthe flange 9 into the tenon-socket and then tapping the same to drivethe wedge-shaped flange upwardly between the tenon of the spoke and thewalls of the tenon-socket. The barbs 10 on the inner face of the flangeenter the tenon, while the sharp edges or barbs of the grooves 12 areforced into the walls of the tenon-socket, thus holding the tightener inplace. The application of the tightener-sections may be facilitated byforcing the folly outwardlyon the tenon in any preferred way so as toallow the segmental plate or section to turn or straighten to ahorizontal position as the flange 8 enters the tenon-socket.

The plate or disk portion of the tightener is adapted to lie against theinner side of the wheel-felly, between the same and the shoulder of thespoke, thereby lengthening the spoke and forcing the felly outwardlyagainst the tire, which will tighten the same to the felly. The prongsor teeth 13 are driven into the inner face of the felly and assist inholding the tightener in place, also preventing the splitting of thefelly at the spoke-tenon holes.

By the use of a tightening device as herein described the loose spokesof a wheel may be quickly tightened and the loose tire also tightenedwithout removing or shrinking the same. It is intended to manufacturethe tighteners in various sizes for use on large or small wheels.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A spoke-tightening device, consisting of counterpart plates eachhaving a semicircular opening formed in one edge of the same,upwardly-projecting flanges partially surrounding said openings, saidflanges being adapted to enter the tenon-socket, and means for retainingsaid plates in position between the end of a spoke and the felly of aWheel, substantially as described.

2. A spoke-tightening device, consisting of counterpart semicircularplates, each having semicircular, concentric openings formed in theirstraight edges, curved wedge-shaped, u pwardly-projecting flangespartially surrounding said openings, and adapted to be driven betweenthe tenon of a spoke and Walls of the tenon-opening in the felly of aWheel, and means for retaining the device in place, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination with the felly and spokes of a Wheel, of aspoke-tightening device consisting of counterpart semicircular plates,each having a semicircular concentric opening formed in their straightedges, curved upwardly projecting flanges partially surrounding saidopenings, said flanges having an inner vertical wall and an outerinclined wall, barbs formed on said inner wall to engage the tenons ofsaid spokes and horizontally-disposed grooves formed on said outer wallto engage the walls of the spoke-tenon holes in said telly, and prongsor teeth formed on said plates to engage the inner surface of saidwheel-felly, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE F. LINDSAY. W. P. GUNN. Witnesses:

C. K.GALLOWAY, A. H. CULVER.

